Safe & Home Alone
Unfortunately, no magic age
exists when
children develop the maturity and good sense they need to stay home
alone. However, you can look for signs that show your child may be
ready. Your decision should be made together when both of you feel
ready for self-care to begin. Every family's situation is different,
and your plan will depend on where you live and nearby resources.
 Do you have a school-age child wanting to stay home?
Are they ready to stay home alone?
As
children get to be 9-12 years old, they may begin to ask if they can go
home after school. Or, for you the parent, care becomes hard to find or
too expensive. The transition for children to stay home alone is a big
step for every family. Some children may be ready for the
responsibility, but care is needed to prepare the child and parents for
this important transition.
Children should indicate a
desire and
willingness to stay alone. Your child should be showing signs of
accepting responsibility and being aware of the needs of others and
should be able to consider alternatives and make decisions
independently. Also your child should be able to talk easily with you
about interests and concerns.
Is there a legal
age that is acceptable for a child to stay alone?
Illinois law defines a
neglected minor, in part, as “any
minor under the age of 14 years whose parent or other person
responsible for the minor’s welfare leaves the minor without
supervision for an unreasonable period of time without regard for the
mental or physical health, safety or welfare of that minor.” Juvenile
Court Act, 705 ILCS 405/2-3(1)(d)
In Illinois there is not a
legal age
specified. What is appropriate under certain circumstances may be
considered child neglect in other circumstances. Illinois law lists 15
specific factors to be considered when deciding whether a child has
been left alone for an unreasonable period of time.
15 Factors to
Consider
| 1. |
The age of the minor |
| 2. |
The number of minors left at the location |
| 3. |
Special needs of the minor, including whether the
minor is
physically or mentally handicapped, or otherwise in need of ongoing
prescribed medical treatment |
| 4. |
The duration of time in which the minor was left
without supervision |
| 5. |
The condition and location of the place where the
child was left without supervision |
| 6. |
The time of day or night when the minor was left
without supervision |
| 7. |
The weather conditions; adequate heat or light |
| 8. |
The location of the parent or guardian, the physical
distance from the minor |
| 9. |
Whether the minor’s movement was restricted
(locked in a room) |
| 10. |
Whether the minor was given a phone number of a
person or
location to call in the event of an emergency and whether the minor was
capable of making an emergency call |
| 11. |
Was food and other provisions left for the minor |
| 12. |
Whether any of the conduct is attributable to
economic
hardship or illness and the parent, guardian or other person having
physical custody or control of the child made a good faith effort to
provide for the health and safety of the minor |
| 13. |
The age and physical and mental capabilities of the
person(s) who provided supervision for the minor |
| 14. |
Whether the minor was left under the supervision of
another person |
| 15. |
Any other factor that would endanger the health and
safety of that particular minor |
Look at your child’s maturity level and his ability to handle a variety of situations. Consider these questions:
 |
Has he handled brief periods of being left alone well? |
|
Will he come straight home after school? |
|
Will he be lonely or frightened by himself? |
|
Can he manage simple jobs like fixing a snack and taking phone messages? |
|
Is he physically able to unlock and lock the doors at home? |
|
Can he solve small problems himself? |
|
Does he know when and how to seek outside help? |
|
Is he prepared to handle an accident or an emergency? |
|
Will he follow the rules set for him and use his time productively? |
Consider the amount of support you can count on by neighbors, family and friends.
Preparing Your Child to Stay Home Alone
If you and your child agree that self-care is appropriate, the next step is to provide
your child with knowledge and training needed for this new responsibility.
Emergency locations and phone numbers:
| Child needs to know: |
Their full name, address and phone number |
| |
Parent’s full name and address and work phone number |
| |
Backup person’s name, address and phone number |
| |
Where to find Emergency phone numbers |
Children need to know how to react in certain situations:
|
Being locked out |
|
Being afraid |
|
Being bored |
|
Being lonely |
|
Arguments with brothers and sisters |
House rules:
|
Leaving the house |
|
Having friends in |
|
Cooking and use of kitchen equipment |
|
Appropriate snacks and meals |
|
Talking with friends on the phone |
|
Duties to be completed while home alone |
Good telephone skills:
|
A list of emergency numbers |
|
Knowledge of what to say in an emergency situation |
|
How to respond if someone calls |
|
Understanding of appropriate and inappropriate reasons for calling parents or other adults for help |
Good personal safety skills:
|
How to answer the door when alone |
|
How to lock and unlock windows |
|
What to do if approached by a stranger on the way home |
|
What to do if they think someone is in the house when they get home |
|
What to do if someone touches them inappropriately |
Good home safety skills:
|
Kitchen safety (use of appliances, knives and tools) |
|
What to do if they smell smoke or gas, or in the event of a fire |
|
What to do during severe storms |
|
Basic first aid techniques and how to know when to get help |
Give the information to your child a little at a time. Role-play lots of situations and ask your child what they would do if that happened to them. Establish a trial period or begin leaving them alone while you are gone for short periods of time, such as
grocery shopping. Ask them about their feelings. Periodically review the rules. Also consider other programs or activities that will break the week up from being home alone every night after school.
For more information and resources:
Brochures and Check Lists
Building Strong Families
Contract Community Child Care Connection at 1-800-676-2805 or 217-525-2805 for brochures
and more detailed check lists
WEB Sites
www.childcareaware.org
www.extension.uiuc.edu
www.niost.org
Agencies
American Red Cross: CPR, First Aid training, Disaster Preparedness (house fires/tomados) training/brochures/videos
Books:
School’s Out by Joan M. Bergstrom revised 1990. 330 page book
Available from Ten Speed Press, P0 Box 7123, Berkeley, CA 94707 or call
(510)559-1629. Provides practical help and guidance in planning for children’s time
outside of school. Includes check-lists, activity ideas and extensive resource lists.
On My Own: The Kid’s Self Care Book by Lynette Long, Acropolis Books, Ltd. |
